Air cleaners and purifiers are widely used for removing foreign substances from the air. The foreign substances can include pollen, dander, smoke, pollutants, dust, etc. In addition, an air cleaner can be used to circulate room air. An air cleaner can be used in many settings, including at home, in offices, workrooms, etc.
In a prior art air cleaner, a filter is typically inserted directly into some manner of filter slot or filter receptacle in the air cleaner. However, this prior art approach has drawbacks. The stand-alone prior art filter may not be sufficiently rigid, and can flex and buckle under conditions of a strong airflow. In the prior art air cleaner, the filter generally fits somewhat loosely into a slide-in holder, grooves, etc., and therefore air can leak around the edges of the filter. The prior art air cleaner generally does not clamp or securely hold the filter. The prior art air cleaner cannot clamp or securely hold one or more filters. The prior art comprises a flat filter panel, with a limited surface area for airflow to pass through. The limited surface area of the prior art impedes the airflow, increases the power required to generate the airflow, and is more susceptible to clogging.